Floor Statements

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 39.

Finally, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 40.

Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, February 27, be waived.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, so as the Senate closed business last night, we did something that I think would make the American people proud. The Senate spoke in one voice condemning the Chinese Communist Party for brazenly violating American sovereignty with their surveillance balloons earlier this month.

Our resolution--bipartisan--championed by Senators Tester and Collins, sends a clear message that China's belligerence, their near- endless escalating tactics, and their scornful disregard for American sovereignty is unacceptable.

I want to thank Senator Tester above all. He has been the leader in this whole country on this issue, and I appreciate Senator Collins working with him, and I appreciate both of their good work putting this resolution together with strong bipartisan unity.

This resolution condemning China is precisely the kind of bipartisanship Americans expect at a time like this. Instead of each party attacking each other, we are united in this resolution, in condemning China, exactly as we should be.

And last night's resolution is just one step. Senator Tester is also taking the lead on a bipartisan effort to get to the bottom of why we didn't learn about these balloons sooner. It is a very important question that the American people deserve answers to,

and I am fully, fully supportive of this effort.

Again, this is the kind of bipartisanship the country expects. When China is pushing the boundaries, they don't want Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers at each other. They don't want any premature attacks. They want us to come together to respond to the threats posed by the CCP, and that is just what we did last night.

Now, yesterday's resolution was not the only way the Senate was focused on standing firm against the CCP. We also, yesterday, had a briefing from the Department of Defense on our ongoing competition with China. I want to thank the briefing team for their hard and ongoing work. While all the details are classified, I want to make a few points.

First, the United States is competing with China at every level: economically, militarily, geopolitically, technologically, in terms of our fundamental values, and more. It won't be enough to outcompete China in any single area. We must be ready to compete with them on all of these fronts because that is what China is trying to do.

Second, China's main goal with respect to the United States is to displace us. Their main goal with respect to the United States is to displace us, displace NATO in Europe, and displace our allies as the world leaders on the military and geopolitical side and in driving the innovations of tomorrow, many of which affect our national security: AI, quantum computing, 5G and other advanced communications technologies, bio manufacturing, clean tech, and especially-- especially--the next generation of semiconductors.

China wants to be ahead of us on everything because, if they do, they will be the ones writing the rules of the road on these technologies. An autocracy writing these rules, an autocracy that often uses these technologies to oppress its people and spy on them, that would have dangerous consequences for the world's democratic nations. A change in those rules with China in the lead would make the world a safe haven, unfortunately, for autocracy.

And, finally, the Chinese Communist Party is not constraining itself in pursuit of these goals. They are all in. They will do whatever it takes to beat us, and if we do not respond in kind, we won't be able to keep up.

So yesterday's briefing made a couple of things exceedingly clear for the Senate and, frankly, for the House. Most importantly, yesterday's briefing on our competition with China reaffirmed the need for Congress to work together and pass a clean debt limit without brinksmanship, without hostage-taking. Few things would hand the world over to the Chinese Communist Party more than a first-ever default by the United States. Defaulting would send a loud and clear message to the world that America cannot be trusted, that squabbling democracies are incapable of governing, and that the best days of our country are squarely behind us. To prevent China from overtaking us, we must raise the debt ceiling on a bipartisan basis as soon as we can--no chaos, no brinksmanship, no default.

Yesterday's briefing also made clear that the kind of cuts that MAGA Republicans are pushing would be a disaster for staying ahead on China. China would love to see the kind of cuts that the MAGA wing of the Republican Party is pushing. It would guarantee that they would overtake us across the board--on defense and military preparedness; on innovation; on American manufacturing, science, and workforce; and so much more--so much more.

So let me say it again. China would love nothing more than to see the kinds of cuts across the board that MAGA Republicans are pushing.

The kind of cuts Republicans are talking about are dangerous. Instead, Congress must complete the appropriations process as we have in the last 2 years. China is all in on beating us. They are going to do whatever it takes. And as the Chinese Communist Party drives their country forward, the worst thing we can do is put America in reverse with funding levels from 2 years ago. It would be malpractice given what is at stake.

Now, we have done some good, important work to outcompete China in the last few years under this Democratic-led Senate: infrastructure, CHIPS and Science, the IRA, and last year's omnibus bill. But we shouldn't stop there. We need to ensure all of those bipartisan efforts are funded. We need to redouble our efforts. We need to keep pushing ahead.

There is no doubt that the United States and our allies and partners remain the world leaders militarily, economically, and in innovation.

But if that is to continue, the United States must be all in--all in--on outcompeting China and make it clear to President Xi that his autocratic campaign to dominate the 21st century will not--will not-- succeed.

Mr. President, now, on another important issue, I have a few, I think, very important things to talk about today, including the bill we passed last year and the briefing and its effect on what we should do in terms of debt ceiling and our budget. But here is another one: Medicaid.

Yesterday, I joined with a few of my colleagues to shine light on how radical out-of-touch MAGA Republicans in the House are. In the House budget, they are putting pen to paper on proposals that would devastate American families and slash the programs that millions of people rely on. These are not abstract issues. They would cause immense pain to countless Americans.

Republicans have been scrambling over the past few days to try to convince the American people that they won't touch Medicare or Social Security, even though we literally have years' worth of statements and speeches showing that many of them believe just the opposite.

But another critical question remains unanswered and must be addressed. Are Republicans also going to target Medicaid? Medicaid is one of the most important programs in the country. One in four Americans rely on Medicaid to cover their healthcare needs.

Let me say that again. One in four Americans rely on Medicaid to cover healthcare needs.

It is not just low-income Americans that benefit from Medicaid--as important as helping them is, which, of course, it is--it is also middle-class families who have to pay, for instance, to put their parents in nursing homes. A couple in their mid forties, who have parents in nursing homes or assisted living, would have a huge burden placed upon them if Medicaid were slashed. These families work hard. Cutting Medicaid would put a huge economic burden on them as they struggle and work to stay in the middle class.

And Medicaid helps others too: people with disabilities, pregnant women, children, and so many more.

Let me say again: Medicaid is absolutely a middle-class issue in addition to helping low-income Americans. And we, on our side, want to help both.

Are Republicans going to strip away coverage for one in four Americans? We really don't know because Republicans won't show us their plan.

Americans are right to be worried about their Medicaid benefits because these MAGA proposals are coming right at them, at their expense. We must work to protect and strengthen programs like Medicaid, not put them on the chopping block.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we start the scheduled vote right now.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 13.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, February 16, be waived.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 16.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.